Today I’m excited to share with you the ancient practice of Vastu or the method for balancing the energetic space in your rooms, homes and offices. Often termed as the “yoga of space” Vastu is how we align ourselves in the places where we live and work.
Vastu has a rich and long history. The practice was developed in the time of the Vedas (or the ancient scriptures that formulate and describe the practices of Ayurveda and Yoga). It was practiced in order to keep aligned with nature and its forces, namely the elements: earth, water, fire, air and space and the cardinal directions: north, south, west and east.
Over thousands of years, the eastern cultures grew and merged and the ancient culture of China created Feng shui from Vastu’s influences. Both are based on the concept of prana or qi and how it acts within a space and whether its flow is enhanced or blocked by the elements, directions and conditions of a structure.
The ancient art of Vastu was suppressed in India during the colonial times and is only recently beginning to come back into play. This philosophy and science of placement and energetic alignment is becoming extra important in times when we work more from home.
What does a building’s “energetic alignment” mean?
It’s not about how straight a wall is or how sound a structure is. It’s more a feeling of ease vs dis-ease. In yoga and Ayurveda, we want to create a body that is healthy and functions at its highest level. In Vastu, we want our homes and offices to also be containers that allow us to thrive and prosper. The circulation of the life force in a building is just as important as the circulation of the life force in our bodies. If we choose wisely, our homes and workplaces will give us enhanced health (physical and mental), satisfying and happy relationships and they can provide us with abundance and prosperity. Not having a balanced environment will do the opposite – disagreeable energy creates a disagreeable space which in turn can create a disagreeable existence.
How can we create a space that is nurturing and healing?
Have you ever been in a room or even a small space within a room that felt super comfortable? Like you could stay there all day and be completely satisfied? Those are areas that are providing you with ample life force. The life force or essential energetic nourishment flows into, out of and within our bodies and is transmitted to every molecule to align and balance us physically, mentally and spiritually. Your space is capable of conducting a harmonious flow of life force or prana too. Lots of clutter will occlude its flow and prevent the space from “breathing.” Too much openness will create a sense of aimlessness and the circulation of pranic energy will be diluted. Prana needs boundaries that can direct it from one space to another just as our internal prana needs our organs and structures to guide its flow within our bodies.
Please keep in mind that Vastu is a deep subject. And, like the systems of yoga and Ayurveda, the practice of Vastu requires much knowledge of the basic principles that have developed this ancient system. At every level we are affected by the elements (space, air, fire, water and earth), the essential qualities of (activity, dullness and clarity) and their resulting effects of fluctuation, heat and heaviness. There are so many variables for Vastu like shapes, arrangements, colors, materials and directions. Vastu is certainly influenced by nature and the planetary movements are a large part of this. An adequate evaluation of a home or workplace is thorough and involves mapping and analysis of a building or space.
On the podcast, I will be focusing on some practical ways you can try to incorporate Vastu into your own spaces for ease and prosperity. Join me On Wellness Way the podcast for all of the details!
Namasté, Kim.
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